


Summertime Blues

by raleighpuppy



Series: Friends, Teammates, and Everything in Between [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Daredevil (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Swimming Pools, Trans Character, Trans Steve Rogers, the Daredevil characters are minor but I will do more with Matt and Clint as bros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-23
Updated: 2015-07-23
Packaged: 2018-04-10 20:59:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4407446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raleighpuppy/pseuds/raleighpuppy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Avengers find themselves at a public pool and Steve just really doesn't want to swim</p><p>OR: Being transgender in the summer sucks</p>
            </blockquote>





	Summertime Blues

**Author's Note:**

> Once more, I am bad at titles.
> 
> Inspired by that awful transgender feel when you have to wear a bathing suit. It's terrible
> 
> Eh this one turned out okay. I like the idea a lot, but my execution is lacking.
> 
> The next one will focus on Natasha

Steve, Bucky, and Sam lay on the couches in the living room shared by all living in the Tower, all absolutely miserable in the heat. New York City in the summer is usually bearable with really awful days reaching ninety degrees Fahrenheit, but that's nothing compared to the current heat wave hitting the city, pushing temperatures closer to one hundred. Sam sighs as he reaches for the remote to turn the volume up a little bit because it suddenly got quiet; he hates inconsistencies in sound on TV, when it's suddenly extremely loud or too quiet to hear, especially because quiet scenes are usually important.

They hadn't planned on spending the day marathoning The X Files on Tony's Netflix account, but what else can they do with it so hot? Originally, the trio was bound for the Air and Space Museum because Bruce had mentioned the Space Race to both Steve and Bucky and the two were _amazed._ After doing some reading online, which Clint and Sam showed them how to do on their phones, the two super soldiers enthusiastically read anything they could find and watched anything and everything about space, prompting Sam to plan a trip to the museum.

But it's too damn hot to do anything.

So they texted Clint for show recommendations and he was so enthusiastic about The X Files they had to give it a shot, which is how they find themselves five episodes into the first season in one sitting.

"I love Scully," Steve breathes.

"She's so cool." "I'd feel so honored if she kicked me in the face or even breathed the same air as me," Bucky adds.

Sam nods. "She makes me think of Nat a little. Badass redheads takin' charge."

Sam's just about to select the next episode when none other than Tony shoves the doors open and strolls in with a large grin on his face, the kind that means he has an announcement, followed by a excited looking Clint, a somewhat amused Nat, and a slightly disheveled but otherwise alright Bruce, so they figure it can't be that bad a plan. Some of his earlier plans ended in actual fistfights and objects thrown, so anything else is better.

"Listen up, ladies and gents," Tony begins, ever the showman. "Because it's so fucking hot and we're all miserable, we're going to the pool!"

"Wait," Sam replies. "The Tower's pool or--"

"A public pool," he answers, interrupting the question. "We've, um, got some maintenance going on from the last time we all went swimming together, so we need to go to a public pool."

Which is how seven adults who also happen to be the Avengers find themselves packed into a large van on their way to a public pool in the middle of the hottest day of the year with music chosen by Tony, so it's AC/DC at full blast. And Steve, seated between Sam and Bucky, looks like he'd rather be anywhere else.

"Hey, man. I know public pools are gross, but it's not the grossest thing," Sam says in an attempt to hopefully cheer him up.

The blond nods a little, but Sam knows something's wrong. The deep feeling of _wrong_  comes from Friend Sam, not VA Therapist Sam who sometimes pisses off both Steve and Bucky. (He knows they'd prefer Friend Sam any day.) Steve's too hunched over, folded in on himself like he's trying to be as small as possible, staring off, gnawing his lip. Also, he's the only one wearing a shirt; while all the other guys are decked out in swim trunks alone, he's also wearing a shirt. Sam wouldn't peg him as the self-conscious type. Maybe modest, but this is odd.

Steve gnaws on his lower lip and avoids Sam's gaze because he knows he's being watched, so he's glad for the distraction when Bucky initiates a conversation about The X Files.

"Isn't Scully the coolest character ever?" Bucky asks.

Steve nods. "Makes me think of Peggy, really," he says, his voice full of admiration, and he's surprised by the lack of sadness in voice and the lack of a heavy weight in his chest.

Bucky laughs. "And you'd be her Mulder."

Clint turns around in his seat as far as he can without his seatbelt locking and tightening and grins. "You're really watching it? What do you think?"

The entire ride is filled up with discussions about the show, and then their own beliefs in aliens.

"I mean," Tony begins, "we've met, like, Asgardian gods and, with everything we've seen, including the--"

"We've met actual aliens," Bruce interrupts. "Remember the Battle of New York?"

Sam laughs. "You're joking!" When no one else laughs, he frowns. "He's joking, right?"

"No," Nat answers. "We've fought aliens. Chitauri, to be exact, during the Battle of New York."

"And there are the Kree too, right?" Steve asks.

"You're telling me you've dealt with actual aliens?" Sam laughs. "Like space aliens?"

"No, like ocean aliens," Clint fires back. "Of course they were space aliens. Where else would they be from?"

Bucky, who hasn't personally dealt with aliens, doesn't appear surprised. Certainly, meeting an alien wouldn't be the weirdest thing to ever happen to him or anyone else in the van, so he silently accepts the fact aliens are, in fact, very real.

"You've met two WWII vets who still look like they're in their twenties, a guy who turns green when he's angry, and an Asgardian, and you don't think aliens are likely?" Tony asks.

Sam holds his hands up in surrender as they pull into a parking spot in front of perhaps the most rundown public pool he's ever seen, which is saying a lot. Steve, who was promised the pool wouldn't be the grossest thing, looks hurt, like he's been lied too, which he technically has been. Sam places a hand on the other man's shoulder as an apology.

Tony strolls up to the front counter and shows his driver's license as if he needs to assure anyone of his identity, and the group pushes open the rusty gate-- "I hope we're all up-to-date on tetanus shots," Bruce grumbles-- to reveal a small and cracked, but otherwise acceptable pool deck. It's definitely not the worst pool ever.

Clint's face lights up like he's recognized someone and he's gone, talking to a scruffy brunette man wearing round glasses and covered in bruises like he's recently been in a fight. Tony gingerly stands at the edge of the pool, frowning as he looks at the water, which has a pretty impressive layer of sunscreen slime at the top that's washed off of any other swimmers, none of which are currently in the water, as there are very few people present: the seven of them, Clint's friend, a man and two women who they assume came with Clint's friend from the way they're all sitting together, and a young woman, probably a babysitter, with four kids sitting on towels and eating their lunches. Nat stands next to Tony, hands on her hips and staring down at the water with a frown. Bucky and Bruce soon join them, while Clint and his friend-- they hear the archer call him Matt-- jump in.

Meanwhile, Steve uncomfortably sits on one of the reclining poolside chairs and sighs, also unfavorably surveying the water, but he's still fully clothed and doesn't appear to be undressing any time soon. The heat must be killing him, Sam thinks. But he still looks really unhappy and _wrong_ overall, so Sam abandons the questionable sun screen pool water to sit next to him.

But it's so hot the pool is starting to look nice.

Steve feels like he's going to die. Well, not in the physical sense since he knows he's fine; he's not hurt. But his heart's racing and his mouth is dry, a different kind of dry than dehydration, and he's having trouble breathing. And that impending doom feeling he thinks he should probably talk to someone about-- the words catch in his throat every time he tries; it's so silly-- is back.

After what feels like a million years, but probably is more around fifteen agonizing minutes in the sun watching everyone else swim in the gross water and introduce themselves to Matt's friends-- their names are Claire, Karen, and Foggy-- Sam speaks.

"Are you alright?" he asks. "You've been kinda weird since Tony said we're going to a pool."

Steve blinks, looks over at him. He's still sitting odd, hunched over, and he's wearing quite possibly the biggest frown Sam's ever seen on anyone. "I'm fine."

"That's the biggest fucking lie I've ever heard, Rogers," he replies. "I'm not going to force the truth from you-- I've seen time and time again down at the VA that that's the worst way to go-- but I'm here to listen when you're ready to talk."

"Thanks, Sam." He sounds a bit happier; not really happy, but more so than before.

Sam offers a small smile that soon disappears as someone-- he also hears laughter and, god damn it, he knows that laughter-- splashes him. As soon as that asshole's name leaves his mouth in the form of an angry shout that makes the lifeguard look up from her phone, Clint and Matt, now with linked arms, are swimming away the best they can with their arms linked.

"C'mon, Steve," he says. "You've gotta help me get them back."

He shakes his head. "Not getting in the pool."

"It's not cold if that's your issue, I promise." "'s not it, but thanks."

Sam hums. "You just wanna be alone?"

"Not really, no. But I don't want to swim at all."

"Aren't you hot, though?"

"Better than cold."

Sam quietly sighs, considering his options. He, for one, is not okay with this weather and wants to swim, but he doesn't want to leave Steve, who doesn't want to swim, all alone; looks like he's stuck. Steve stares out at the water, watching everyone else swim, and he looks like he really does want to swim, despite his claims.

Sam watches Steve, slightly frowning and thinking. The only things that really stand out is are his frown, how he's sitting so uncomfortably, and that he's the only one wearing a shirt.

"I didn't know you were so modest, Rogers," he comments.

"Not modest, just can't take it off is all."

Steve pauses, looks like a deer in the headlights, curses. He starts to turn away, as if he's going to leave, and Sam grabs his arm.

"Why can't you?" he asks. "Are you hurt?"

"No, not hurt." He shakes his head.

Sam sighs because this is yet another thing they never mention about good old Captain America: he attempts to dodge questions when he's shit at doing that.

"Steve."

He lowers his voice. "I can't take off my shirt because I'm wearing one of my binders and I know it looks a lot like a sports bra and this shirt isn't one for swimming and--"

"They make binders for swimming," Sam interrupts. "I'll get you one, alright." He puts his own shirt back on. "Alright, now let's jump in and both get yelled at by the lifeguard."

Steve nods. He still looks nervous, but he's smiling a little and that's something. "Alright." 

The duo stands at the edge of the pool, bracing themselves for the cold water and the later of sunscreen slime at the surface, and then jumps in, splashing Clint who angrily sputters and Bucky who laughs.

"About time," Nat comments.


End file.
